The Letoon Hadrian monumental nymphaeum as an example of Roman period fountain architecture in Anatolia. Current status analysis and hypothetic restition proposal

This thesis is about examining the architectural plan of the monumental fountain in the exedra order, dedicated to Emperor Hadrianus in the Letoon Sanctuary, which is on the UNESCO World Heritage List, and its relationship with the environment, and a hypothetical restitution proposal. The Letoon Sanctuary, which has been researched since the 19th century, is the common worship center of all Lycia and was the religious center of Lycia in ancient times. One of the main features of the planning of the Letoon Sanctuary is that the monumental fountain structure of the Roman Period, dedicated to Emperor Hadrianus, is on the same axis with the sacred spring. The monumental fountain structure dedicated to the Nymphs, the water goddesses, who were called by different names in different periods in the multi-layered past of Letoon, whose bottom date is unknown, highlighted the religious functionality of the area associated with the sacred spring and showed that the sanctity of water continues throughout all layers. In the Roman Imperial Age, which started with Augustus, Emperor Hadrianus abandoned the expansion policy of the empire and preserved its current borders, contrary to the expansion policy followed by his predecessor, Emperor Trajanus. In the history of Rome, the Period of Hadrian occupies an important place in terms of architecture, which is called the building boom. In this period, in addition to the construction of new structures, some structures damaged by earthquakes were also repaired. Emperor Hadrianus devoted 12 years of his empire to his trips to the provinces outside of Rome. Within the scope of these trips, he organized two important trips to Anatolia in 123-124 and 129-131. The most important shortcoming about the Letoon Hadrian Monumental Fountain, which has been excavated between 1969 and 2009, among the many publications on Roman water-related structures since the beginning of the 20th century, is the incomplete architectural analysis and restitution proposal. In this context, it is aimed to present a hypothetical restitution proposal by making a typological evaluation and plan analysis in the light of the data obtained from the archaeological remains of the monumental fountain of the Roman Period in the Letoon sanctuary and the information obtained from the excavation reports. The fact that the building is located on the axis of the Hellenistic Period artificial cave, which protects the main element of the sanctuary where the water comes out, which is the main element of the sanctuary, its relationship with the ceremonial road in the north, and its dedication to Publius Aeulius Traianus Hadrianus, one of the most powerful emperors of Rome, increase the importance of the thesis.